The Dark Side of Chocolate

I have reported all the good news on chocolate: it is full of heart protecting flavonoids, it lowers blood pressure, and it increases blood flow. I reported the good news, so it is only fair that I share with you the bad news as well. Unfortunately, its reputation as the new healthy food is being called into question.

I much prefer dark chocolate...always have, it just tastes better to me. I agree with you that chocolate is really just a decadent treat, not something that should be eaten for nutritional value or health benefits. I don't think any chocolate is really GOOD for you, so I'm not surprised by this at all.

I find dark chocolate more satisfying. I can eat some crappy Hershey's Kisses (no offense, and they aren't bad, just not decadent) or a couple of pieces of Ghirardelli dark chocolate. One tastes luxurious, the other sugary, more like candy than real chocolate to me.
Why doesn't this report mention dark chocolate. I assumed there were little benefits to milk chocolate, but dark chocolate IS bitter, so they can be removing all of the bitterness (and flavonoids).

Again, I think this ties into the placebo effect, if anything. BECAUSE people will eat small amounts of dark chocolate as an indulgence, THINKING they are getting all this health benefit, however, they just might eat LESS sugary foods because of the dark chocolate, which is generally less in sugar than other candies. By thinking you're being healthy, you end up eating less in terms of dark chocolate, IMO.